How to Extract Substring of a Certain Length
Three distinct functions are available in Microsoft Excel to extract text from a cell that is a certain length. Use one of these formulas based on where you want to begin the extraction.
- LEFT function – to take the leftmost substring and extract it
- RIGHT function – to take the rightmost substring and extract it
- MID function – to begin extracting a substring from the centre of a text string at the specified position
Extract Substring from Start of String (LEFT)
Using the Excel LEFT function, we can extract text from the left of a string.
Syntax
=LEFT(text, [num_chars])
Here, Text is the cell’s address where the source string is located and The amount of characters you want to extract is num_chars.
E.g. To select the first 5 characters from the start of the string, use:
=LEFT(A2,5)
Get Substring from End of String (RIGHT)
Use the Excel RIGHT function to extract a substring from the end of a string
Syntax
=RIGHT(text, [num_chars])
E.g. To select the last 5 characters from the end of the string, use:
=RIGHT(A2,5)
Extract text from Middle of String (MID)
MID is the function to use if you want to extract a substring that begins in the centre of a string at the place you provide.
Syntax
=MID(text, start_num, num_chars)
Here, apart from the aforementioned elements, start_num indicates the starting point
E.g. To select 2 characters from the middle of the string starting at the 5th character, use:
=MID(A2,5,2)
Most often, we receive “ID fields” as alphanumeric strings. Suppose we have to extract only text from “ID fields” for further process.
Let’s explore different approaches to extract text from an alphanumeric string in Excel.
How to Extract Text Only from Alphanumeric String in Excel?
In the vast landscape of Excel spreadsheets, managing data efficiently is crucial for streamlined analysis and reporting. Often, one encounters the challenge of dealing with cells containing a mix of letters and numbers, commonly known as alphanumeric strings. Extracting only the text component from such strings becomes essential for various data manipulation tasks. In this article, we will explore practical methods to effortlessly extract text-only portions from alphanumeric strings in Excel. Whether you’re a seasoned Excel user or just embarking on your spreadsheet journey, mastering these techniques will empower you to wrangle your data with precision and ease. Join us as we unravel the secrets to extracting meaningful text from the alphanumeric complexity, making your Excel experience more efficient and tailored to your specific needs.